Counterbalanced stair.



J. HALSTBD. GOUNTERBALANGED STAIR.

APPLICATION FILED MAY 17. 1911. 1,009,241. Patented 11011.21, 1911.

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J. HALSTED.

GOUNTERBALANGED STAIR.

APPLICATION FILED MAY 17, 1911.

1,009,241. Patented 111011.21, 1911.

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JOSEPH I-IAIISTED, or CHICAGO,

ILLINOIS, ASSIGNOR TO JOSEPH I-IALSTED 00., OF

CHICAGO, ILLINOIS, A CORPORATION OF ILLINOIS.

OOUNTERBALANGEI) STAIR.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, JOSEPH HALSTED, a citizen of the United States,residing at Chicago, in the county of Cook and State of Illinois, haveinvented certain new and useful Improvements in Counterbalanced Stairs,of which the following is a description.

My invention belongs to that general class. of devices known ascounterbalanced stairs, employed in connection with the well known formof fire escapes, in which the stationary stairway or ladder is supportedupon the exterior wall of the building, extending downward to a pointsome distance above the surface or sidewalk, and the counterbalancedstairway is arranged so that when not in use, it extends horizontallysubstantially on a line with the bottom of the permanent stairs, andwhen tipped downward into operative position, completes the stairway tothe ground.

My invention has among its objects the production of a simple,efficient, effective and economical construction of the kind describedfor use wherever found applicable.

To this end my invention consists in the novel construction, arrangementand combination of parts herein shown and described, and moreparticularly pointed out in the claims.

In the drawings, wherein like reference characters indicate like orcorresponding parts :Figure 1 is a side elevation of my improvedstairway, tipped downward into operative position to complete the fireescape on the ground. Fig. 2 is a top plan view of the same. Fig. 3 is adetailed view of the upper part of the ladder. Fig. 4 is a sectionalview taken on line 4, 4 of Fig. 1. Fig. 5 is a front elevation, theladder tipped downward to extend to the ground, and Fig. 6 is a similarview of a slightly modified construction.

Referring to the drawings, 1 is the outside part or rail of thestairway, or the one farthest from the building wall, and 2 is the siderail nearest the building wall. Between the two are arranged a series ofsteps 3, 8, etc., forming the stairway up to the lower end of thepermanent stairway (not shown). The upper end of the stairway issupported upon a pivot 4, said pivot being supported in any satisfactoryway upon the exterior wall of the building so as not to in-Specifieation of Letters Patent.

Application filed May 17, 1911.

Patented Nov. 21, 1911. Serial No. 627,753.

terfere with the descent upon the permanent stairway or laddermentioned.

Connected with and carried by the structure, is a counterweight bar 6,provided with a counterweight 7, which is preferably adjustablyconnected thereto so that it may be shifted backward or forward to moreaccurately balance the stair or ladder.

As clearly shown in Fig. 1, angle bars 8, 8, etc., are secured to theside part 1. The counterweight bar 6, as shown, is secured to the anglebars 8, 8, etc., by means of connecting bars or angles 5, 5, arrangedabove and below the counterweight bar. The bar 6, however, may besupported in any equivalent manner, but is preferably supported as shown,and so located that when the ladder is in a horizontal position thecounterwei ht 7 is above the horizontal plane of the pivot 4. The anglebars 8 are preferably con nected by suitable rods 9, one of which isshown connected to the weight 7 and to the free end of the side bar 1,the rods serving the double purpose of a hand rail and trusses. Ifdesired a turn-buckle 17, or its equivalent for the purpose, may beemployed for affording adjustment of the truss rod, as shown in Fig. 1.The opposite side of the ladder, or the side 2, is also preferablyprovided with similar angle bars 8, 8, and rods 9, but in this casethere is no connection between the rods and counterweight. In devices ofthis kind it is desirable to provide means to aid in supporting the freeends of the inner bar 2, which, by reason of its weight and itsconnections, is liable to sag, resultingv in a twist or warp to the ladder. For the purpose of supporting the free end of the part 2, I providea diagonal brace bar 10, extending from the side bar 2, to which it issecured, diagonally outward to the counterweight bar 6, to which it isalso secured. The bar 10 is secured to the bar 2 at a point bet-ween theladders ends by an angle or strut 1 1, (see Fig. 1) and to the bar 6 bya similar angle or strut 15, the diagonal bar being also pivotallyconnected to the pivot 4 by a suitable strap or plate 16. By means ofthis construction the pivot acts as a fulcrum, the counterweight actingas the power on bar or lever 10, to support the free end. of the innerside bar 2, as clearly shown in the drawings. By connecting thesupporting bar 10 in the manner described, it may be located beneath thepivot 4 and out of the line of the steps 3, so that it does notinterfere with the same.

The ladder may be supported on the side of the building in any preferredmanner, for example by means of a boom 11 and hanger 12, which carry thesupporting rods 13, 13, which support the pivot bar 4, as shown in Fig.5. If desired, however, the inner end of the pivot bar 4 may besupported directly by the building, as clearly shown in Fig. (5, theboom 11 and rod 13 serving to support the outer end of the pivot bar.Each of the side bars 1 and 2 may be provided with a foot 18, or theequivalent if desired.

The whole device is extremely simple and effective in its operation, andeconomical in its construction. As before mentioned, in thisconstruction the pivot l acts as a fulcrum for the diagonally extendingbar 10, so that the counterweight, as the power, supports the free endof the inner side bar 2, and prevents the same from sagging, therebyobviating twist or warp to the ladder. It may be mentioned that theladder or stair is preferably so constructed that the center of gravityis near to and in the horizontal plane above the pivotal support so thatwhen the ladder is in its longitudinal position, the center of gravityis to that side of the pivotal support on which the counterweight islocated, and tends to hold the lad-- der in horizontal position; andwhen the ladder is depressed to its operative position, the center ofgravity is thereby moved by the vertical plane of the pivot so that theladder is held down.

Having thus described my invention, it is obvious that variousimmaterial modifications may be made in the same without departing fromthe spirit of my invention, hence I do not wish to be understood aslimiting myself to the exact form, arrangement or combination of partsherein shown and described, or uses mentioned.

hat I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent is 1. Acounterbalanced stair, comprising side bars with steps carried thereby,said bars pivotally supported to permit the free end to be lowered inrelation thereto as described, and counterbalance means therefor incombination with a supporting lever secured to one side bar, and thenceextending diagonally with the other end connected to the counterbalancestructure, said lever sup ported at a point between its ends by thepivot bar as a fulcrum, and means for supporting the decise upon abuilding substantially as described.

2. A counterbalanced stair, comprising side bars with steps carriedthereby, said bars pivotally supported to permit the free end to belowered in relation thereto as described, and counterbalance meanstherefor, in combination with a supporting lever secured to one side barat a point between its ends, and thence extending diagonally outwardwith the other end connected to the counterbalance structure, said leverbeing supported at a point between its ends by the pivotal bar as afulcrum, and means for supporting the device upon a building.

3. In a device of the kind described, side bars carrying steps arrangedtherebetween' and pivotally supported proximate one end to permit thefree end to be lowered as de scribed, a counterbalance bar arrangedabove the pivot when the ladder is in horizontal position on said pivot,and provided with a counterbalance weight at the free end thereof, and asupporting lever extending from the counterweight structure diagonallyto the opposite side bar and connected thereto, said supporting leverbeing pivotally con-' nected to the plvot carrying the ladder, and meansfor supporting the device on the side wall of the building.

4. In a device of the kind described, side bars carrying steps arrangedtherebetween and pivotally supported proximate one end to permit thefree end to be lowered, a counterbalance bar arranged above the pivotwhen the ladder is in horizontal position on the pivot, and providedwith an adjustable counterweight on the free end thereof, a supportinglever extending from the counterweight structure diagonally to the innerside bar and connected thereto at a point between the ends of said sidebar, means for pivotally connecting said lever to said pivot carryingthe-ladder, and means for supporting the device on the side of thebuildmg.

5. In a device of the kind described, par allel side bars provided withsteps arranged therebetween, means for pivotally supporting said sidebars, a counterbalance bar, means carried by the outer side bar for supporting said counterbalance bar, an adjustable counterbalance weightarranged on the free end of said counterbalance bar, and means forsupporting the free end of the opposite side bar, consisting of a barextending from the counterweight structure diagonally to said oppositeside bar below the pivot for said bars, and means for connecting saiddiagonally extending bar to said counterweight structure, said pivot andthe inner side bar.

6. In a device of the kind described and in combination, parallel sidebars provided with steps arranged therebetween, means for pivotallysupporting the inner end of said side bars and counterbalance bar, meanscarried by the outer side bar for supporting the said counterbalance barabove the pivotal support when the ladder is in horizontal position onthe pivot, a counterbalance weight arranged on the free end of saidcounterbalance bar and means for supporting the signed my name in thepresence of two subfree end of the inner side bar, consisting inscribing witnesses.

at bar secured to said counterwei ht bar and extending diagonally to theinn er side bar JOSEPH HALSTED' and secured thereto, said diagonallyextend- Witnesses: ing bar connected with said pivot. Roy WV. HILL,

In testimony whereof, I have hereunto CHARLES I. COBB.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressingthe Commissioner of Patents, Washington, D. G.

